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Numbers Don’t Lie But Love Beats Math (always) (redux)

I rated the Star Wars movies a while back and I wanted to write a mini review for each of them to see if my original rankings (*Solo has not been released at that time) held up. Here’s the original rank (WORST to best):

Episode 2

Episode 1

Episode 3

Episode 7

Episode 8

Rogue One

Episode 6

Episode 4

Episode 5

Here are the individual breakdowns in my brand new Shark Wrighter Score (based on 1-10 rankings of 5 key components in a movie):

(Excuse the Twitter detritus; I’m too lazy to clean that up right now)

Force Awakens: 8 acting,4 story, 7 directing,9 special effects,7 editing. SW SCORE: 35. Haters: eat me.This was a HUGE RELIEF after the prequels.The story was a rehash but great new leads to shepherd the franchise.I LOVED emo Kylo. 3.5 (out of 5) octopuses.#StarWars #MovieReview

(MR0008)

Rogue One: 9 acting,9 story,9 directing,9 special effects,9 editing.SW SCORE: 45.If this is how good stand alone Star Wars universe movies can be then I am out of my mind waiting for Solo.gripping.joyous.poignant.contained.bravura! 5 (out of 5) octopuses.#StarWars #MovieReview

Solo: 6 acting,6 story,5 effects, 5 directing, 5 editing. SW score: 27. Special: nothing. I laughed twice. I was impressed by an action set or line of dialogue twice. It was meh. The lady droid pilot was funny. But that’s it. 2.5 out of 5 octopi. #SoloAStarWarsStory #MovieReview

(MR0019)

So according to Shark Wrighter score, the worst to best Star Wars universe movies are:

Episode 2 (4)

Episode 1 (5)

Episode 3 (5)

Solo: A Star Wars Story (27)

Episode 7 (35)

Episode 8 (37)

Episode 6 (41)

Episode 4 (42)

Rogue One (45)

Episode 5 (49)

My heart really wanted the original trilogy to occupy the three top spots. But I cannot deny the brilliance of Rogue One. And I am ok with the uneven but still entertaining and satisfying Last Jedi.

But in the end, in the galaxies where numbers do not dwell, the first trilogy will never be supplanted in my soul. No movies (not even my favorite Pulp Fiction) will never bring me as much joy as the original trilogy installments did.

Because I’ll never be a kid again and kids experience happiness on a level that adults have forgotten how to reach. There is joy in adulthood of course but it’s been diluted by experience and time. My early 80’s joy was perfect, in every single way, undiminished and brighter than Tatooine’s two suns.